William george howard and charles edward north



(No Model.)

W. G. HOWARD sic. E. NORTH. WAISTUOAT PRUTEUTOR.

we norms PETERS cm, FNOlo-u'ma, wAsmmiTnN, a. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GEORGE HOW'ARD AND CHARLES EDWVARD NORTH, OF LONDON,

ENGLAND. 4

. WAISTCOAT-PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,010, dated June 28, 1892. Application filed February 29, 1892- Serial No. 423.316. (No model.) Patented in England November 20, 1891, No. 20,213.

To all whom it may concern;

- Be it known that we, VILLIAM GEORGE HOWARD and CHARLES EDWARD NORTH, clerks, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain,

5 both residing at 13 Edith Road, Queens Road, Peckham, London, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented a newand useful Waistcoat-Protector preventing the fraying, soiling, or other damage to which the front of a IO waistcoat is liablein ordinary wear, (for which we have obtained a patent in Great Britain No. 20,213, bearing date November 20, 1891,) of which the following is a specification.

It has been found that in the case of clerks r 5 and others whose occupation necessitates their continually sitting at desks or tables the front of the waistcoat is worn or frayed where the latter comes in contact with the edge of the desk or table.

Now the object of this invention is to provide a shield or protectorlthat may be readily attached to and detached from an ordinary waistcoat, the front ofwhich it is made to re semble so that unless closely examined it cannot be distinguished from the lower part of an ordinary waistcoat when the upper part of the wearers coat is buttoned over so as to hide the junction of the waistcoat and the protector.

In carrying this invention into practical effect we provide a piece of cloth or any other suitable material of the shape of a triangle, with concave base and with such base notched in the middle similarly to the bottom of the front of an ordinary waistcoat. Such piece of cloth or other suitable material is folded and plaited down the middle-that is to say,

in a straight line from the apex of the aforesaid notch in the baseand furnished in the front with buttons and buttonholes (or imitation buttonholes) after the manner of the lower part of an ordinary waistcoat-front. We also provide the waistcoat-protector at the back with certain U-shaped clips of suitable material, preferably steel, sewed or otherwise fastened to the fold or plait, such clips to hold the waistcoat-protector to the waistcoat between the buttons of the waistcoat. Is is intended that the corners at the base of the waistcoat-protector shall be tucked up under the bottom of the waistcoat and there held in position by certain hooks sewed or otherwise fastened to the said ends, such hooks clutching the lining of the waistcoat. We also provide the waistcoat-protector with certain arc-shaped strips of suitable elastic material, preferably steel, to be sewed or otherwise fixed to its back, causing the waistcoatprotector to adhere closely to the waistcoat.

It is obvious that the device hereinbefore described may be suitably stiffened by the insertion of suitable stiffening material between the above-mentioned facing material and the lining which is employed to cover the arc-shaped strips of steel or other material. One arm of each U-shaped clip will of course protrude through the lining in order to engage with the edge of the waistcoat to which the protector is attached. 1 I

In order that ourinvention may be more fully understood and carried into practice, We will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 a back view having one of the ends broken off, and Fig. 3 a section at the line a; y of Fig. l, of a waistcoat-protector constructed according to this invention.

The triangular piece of cloth or other suitable material A is curved at its base, which is notched at the center at a similarly to the bottom of the front of an ordinary waistcoat.

A plaitb is formed down the center of the ma terial from the apex to the said notch in the base, so as to resemble in appearance the overlapping edges of the front of an ordinary waistcoat. This resemblance is increased by a line of stitching cand by buttons d and real or imitation buttonholes e, placed near the edge of the plait. The device is suitably stiifened by the insertion of canvas or other stiffening-material, and is suitably lined at B. Slightly-curved strips of steel, whalebone, or other suitable elastic or spring-like mate- 5 rial f are inserted between the facing A and lining B with the object of causing the protector to adhere closely to the wasitcoatto which the device is attached. The curvature of these elastic strips is best seen at Fig. 3 of the drawings. Suitable U -shapedclips g of steel or other suitable material are secured to the back of the protector in such manner that their free arms may be readily inserted between the buttons of the Waistcoat over which the device is worn in order to secure it in position. It will be readily understood that the arms of these clips that are sewed or otherwise attached to the protector may be covered by the lining 15, as shown in the drawings. The lower corners h '2; are provided at or near their extremities with sharp hooks Ya.

In use the protector is applied to the front of the waistcoat and the free ends of the clips g are inserted between the buttons thereof. The corners hiare then turned up under the bottom of the waistcoat, with the lining of which the hooks k engage, and thereby prevent the return of the said corners h 1'.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings one corner h is shown turned up, as hereinbefore described.

some cases we have found that a piece of I,

plush, velvet, or wire-card may be used with advantage, as these rough surfaces cling to the lining of the waistcoat Without damaging the same.

What we claim is As an improved article of manufacture, a waistcoat-protector consisting of a piece of material of substantially triangular shape, having its lower portion cut away to form two diverging ends h 'i of sufficient length to be turned up under the waistcoat, and fastening devices upon the said ends and the body of the protector, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

WILLIAM GEORGE HOWARD. CHARLES EDWVARD NORTH.

Witnesses:

'0. F. ll/IEARING,

54 Fleet Street, London, E. C. T. F. BARNES,

17 Gracechurch Street, L0ncl0n,E. C. 

